Device for preventing calluses and skin irritations



April 19, 1955 P. v. DIAMOND DEVICE FOR PREVENTING CALLUSES AND SKIN IRRITATIONS Filed March 23, 1955 I kn).

mmfw y m mm .W W/ P w United States Patent DEVICE FOR PREVENTING CALLUSES AND SKIN IRRITATIONS Pauline V. Diamond, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application March 23, 1953, Serial No. 343,925 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-132) are in prolonged contact with bed clothing. These skin conditions often become almost unbelievably severe. They present an uninviting appearance and are a source of much discomfort to the patient.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device which can be worn by the patient without discomfort and which will prevent the formation of calluses on the elbows, heels or other parts of the patients body and which will prevent skin irritations and cracking of the skin from occurring on various parts of a patients body.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device adapted to be placed about the arm of the patient and held in position thereon, said device comprising a removable pad which is held in contact with the patients elbow, which pad is made of some soft porous resilient material, such as foam rubber. The pad is arranged to be easily removable and easily reinsertable in the device so that it can be easily and quickly removed for washing or cleansing. It is desirable to place certain medicaments on the pad and it is desirable to wash and clean the pad frequently so that it will be kept sweet and clean and free from odors.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device as set forth in the preceding paragraph, the same constituting a strip of flexible resilient material of small thickness, the same having strap-like end portions and an enlarged central portion, said central portion having means for holding a pad of soft porous resilient material in said central portion, together with means for holding said strip in position extending about the arm of the wearer with said pad in contact with the elbow.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a device for preventing calluses, skin irritations and the cracking of skin, formed of an elongated strip of thin flexible resilient material, said strip having strap like end portions with holding means such as a buckle therefor, and having an enlarged central portion. Said device also comprises a Wall upstanding from said central portion forming a pocket in which is disposed a pad of soft, porous and resilient material, such as foam rubber, said pad being slightly compressed when in said pocket so as to be retained therein, said wall also preferably having a lip at its upper end extending inwardly a short distance over said pad and said pad preferably having a recess in its upper side of curved form.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows, and showing a modification of a portion of applicants device.

Referring to the drawing, a device is shown comprising ice a strip 10 of flexible sheet material, which material is preferably resilient and which strip has strap-like end portions 10a and an enlarged central portion 1012. Portions 10a are shown as having their ends rounded. A Wall upstands from central portion 10b and while this wall might be variously formed, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is shown as of oblong or generally elliptical shape. Wall 10c is of rather small thickness and its outer side merges into the top of the strip 10 in a rather large curve. At its inner side the wall 10c merges with the strip 10 in a much smaller curve. The sides of the strap-like portions 10a merge with the enlarged central portion 10b in curves of rather large radius. While strip 10 could be made of various materials, in practice it has been made of a comparatively thin strip of rubber. Wall 100 has at its top a lip 10d which extends inwardly a short distance over the top of a pad 11. Pad 11 will be made of some soft preferably elastic and porous material, such as foam rubber. It will be made of a shape and size so that when slightly compressed it can be inserted within the pocket formed by wall 100 and be held in place in said pocket. The lip 10d will assist in holding the pad in place. Referring to Fig. 2, pad 11 is preferably provided at its top with a substantial central recess of substantially the shape of the segment of a sphere. Said recess thus has a curved bottom and the same tapers in depth toward its outer edges. Referring to Fig. 3, a modified form of pad 11 is shown without a central recess. Said strip 10 projects slightly at the sides of the wall 102 in the form of a narrow flange 10f.

Suitable means are provided for holding the strap-like portions 10a in the desired position when the device is in operation, and while various means could be used, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated a buckle 12 is shown. Buckle 12 has a bar 12a extending along one side of the strap-like portion 10a and has bars 10b spaced at each side of bar 12a, one or both of which are disposed in a plane offset from the plane of bar 12a. Buckle 12 also has bars 12c extending partially across the strap portion 10a at the same side thereof as bars 12b.

When the device is to be used on the elbow, the pad 11 will be placed against the elbow with the elbow disposed substantially centrally in the recess 11a. The strip 10 will then be extended about the arm and one end portion 10a will be passed under the space bars 12c. The buckle 12 is slidable on the end portion 10a and the strip 10 can thus be held about the arm with the desired firmness or tension. When the other end 10a is placed under the bars 12c of the portion having the buckle 12 thereon, said portion 10a can be drawn so that the strip will be held firmly in position embracing the arm. The elbow will then engage a soft yielding cushion and will be kept from engagement with the bed clothes. It is often desirable to place some suitable cream or medicament on or in the pad 11. It is desirable to have a structure in which the pad is very easily and quickly removable from the strip 10. It is desirable to wash or cleanse the pad at frequent periods so that it will be kept sweet and clean. This is particularly true when substances are placed in the pad 10. By washing or cleansing the pad frequently it is kept fresh and free from any odors which might arise from perspiration or from rancidity formed by said creams or other medicaments. The pad can be easily and quickly reinserted in the pocket formed by wall 100. It will be apparent that the device can also be used for preventing the formation of calluses, skin irritations and cracks in the skin on various other parts of the body. It could also be used with the chin of the wearer disposed in engagement with the pad 11 and with the strap-like portions extending over the head of the wearer.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a quite simple and yet highly eflicient device for preventing calluses or bed sores, skin irritations and cracks in the skin. The device has had long use in actual practice and the results have been exceedingly favorable. The device has proven a great success in many severe cases. The device with the pad removed presents a smooth surface and can be quickly washed and cleaned.

For treating bed sores, skin irritations or cracks in the skin, a pad of cotton or other material could be placed in recess 11a and a suitable medicament applied thereto. In some cases the pad 11 could be removed and a hot pack placed within Wall c.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for preventing calluses, skin irritations and cracks in the skin having in combination, a strip of flexible resilient material having strap-like end portions and an enlarged central portion, said strip comprising a continuous wall extending upwardly from said central portion and a pad of yielding resilient material enclosed by said wall and engaging the top surface of said strip, said pad being somewhat compressed and held in said wall by its resiliency whereby it can readily be removed for cleansing so as to be kept sweet and clean, and holding means for said end portions whereby said pad can be'placed against the elbow of the wearer and his arm encircled by said device and held in position by said strap-like portions and holding means.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, said wall having an inwardly extending lip at its upper end extending a short distance over the top of said pad.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, said wall being of general elliptical shape in plan and extending to the top of said strip in a curved formation at its outer side.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, said strip forming a narrow flange extending along the side portions of said wall.

5. A device for preventing calluses, skin irritations and cracks in the skin having in combination, a strip of flexible resilient material having elongated end portions and a central portion, said strip comprising a continuous wall extending upwardly from said central portion and a pad of yielding resilient absorbent material enclosed by said wall, said pad being somewhat compressed and held in said wall by its resiliency whereby it can readily be removed for cleansing so as to be kept sweet and clean, and holding means for said end portions whereby said pad can be placed against a portion of the body of the wearer and said device be held in position by said end portions and holding means.

6. A device for preventing calluses, skin irritations or cracks in the skin having in combination, a strip of flexible resilient material having an enlarged central portion and elongated strap-like end portions, said central portion having an upwardly extending wall integral with said strip and of general oblong form, and a pad of yielding resilient material enclosed in said wall supported by said strip, said wall having an inwardly turned upper portion and said pad being compressed and held in said wall by said upper portion and its resiliency, whereby it can readily be removed for cleansing, and holding means for said end portions whereby said pad can be placed against the elbow of the wearer and his arm encircled by said device and held in position by said end portions.

7. The structure set forth in claim 6, said pad having in its top surface a central shallow recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 826,881 Powdermaker July 24, 1906 1,497,000 Rosenberg June 10, 1924 1,967,859 Burns July 24, 1934 

